1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telecommunications systems and methods for monitoring utilization of traffic channels by mobile terminals within a wireless network, and specifically to maximizing utilization of traffic channels by offering mobile subscribers discounted rates.
2. Background and Objects of the Present Invention
Wireless telecommunications is one of the fastest growing and most demanding telecommunications applications ever. Today it represents a large and continuously increasing percentage of all new telephone subscriptions around the world. A standardization group, European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), was established in 1982 to formulate the specifications for the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) digital mobile wireless radio system in use today, and described in more detail herein.
With reference now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is illustrated a GSM Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), such as wireless network 10, which in turn is composed of a plurality of areas 12, each with a Mobile Services Center (MSC) 14 and an integrated Visitor Location Register (VLR) 16 therein. The MSC/VLR areas 12, in turn, include a plurality of Location Areas (LA) 18, which are defined as that part of a given MSC/VLR area 12 in which a mobile station (MS) 20 may move freely without having to send update location information to the MSC/VLR area 12 that controls the LA 18. Each Location Area 12 is divided into a number of cells 22. Mobile Station (MS) 20 is the physical equipment, e.g., a car phone or other portable phone, used by mobile subscribers to communicate with the wireless network 10, each other, and users outside the subscribed network, both wireline and wireless.
The MSC 14 is in communication with at least one Base Station Controller (BSC) 23, which, in turn, is in contact with at least one Base Transceiver Station (BTS) 24. The BTS is the physical equipment, illustrated for simplicity as a radio tower, that provides radio coverage to the geographical part of the cell 22 for which it is responsible. It should be understood that the BSC 23 may be connected to several base transceiver stations 24, and may be implemented as a stand-alone node or integrated with the MSC 14. In either event, the BSC 23 and BTS 24 components, as a whole, are generally referred to as a Base Station System (BSS) 25. The radio interface between the BTS 24 and the MS 20 utilizes Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) to transmit information between the BTS 24 and the MS 20, with one TDMA frame per carrier frequency. Each frame consists of eight timeslots or physical channels. Depending upon the kind of information sent, different types of logical channels can be mapped onto the physical channels. For example, speech is sent on the logical channel, "Traffic Channel" (TCH), and signaling information is sent on the logical channel, "Control Channel" (CCH).
With further reference to FIG. 1, the PLMN Service Area or wireless network 10 includes a Home Location Register (HLR) 26, which is a database maintaining all subscriber information, e.g., user profiles, current location information, International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) numbers, and other administrative information. The HLR 26 may be co-located with a given MSC 14, integrated with the MSC 14, or alternatively can service multiple MSCs 14, the latter of which is illustrated in FIG. 1.
The VLR 16 is a database containing information about all of the Mobile Stations 20 currently located within the MSC/VLR area 12. If a MS 20 roams into a new MSC/VLR area 12, the VLR 16 connected to that MSC 14 will request data about that Mobile Station 20 from its home HLR database 26 (simultaneously informing the HLR 26 about the current location of the MS 20). Accordingly, if the user of the MS 20 then wants to make a call, the local VLR 16 will have the requisite identification information without having to reinterrogate the home HLR 26. In the aforedescribed manner, the VLR and HLR databases 16 and 26, respectively, contain various subscriber information associated with a given MS 20.
The wireless industry is entering a high growth phase in the wireless service product life cycle. Once the produce reaches maturity, wireless network providers will be scrambling to maintain their market share. From a marketing perspective, the wireless providers have three ways of enhancing their revenue. First, wireless providers can expand into new markets, thereby increasing their customer base. Second, wireless providers can expand the use of the product, for example, by suggesting various ways of using the device. Third, wireless providers can increase their revenue by increasing the frequency of use of the service.
This last technique (increasing the frequency of use of the service) provides wireless service providers with additional revenue without installation of new infrastructure. Many wireless service providers are currently paying millions of dollars a year for a license fee to use the wireless frequencies. Hence, any unused frequency is a loss of revenue. It should be noted that the fixed cost for network providers (infrastructure) is extremely high. However, the variable cost of servicing one additional call from the customer is very low by comparison. Therefore, by maximizing the use of available bandwidth, the network providers will simultaneously increase their revenue.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to increase the utilization of available bandwidth, which will simultaneously increase revenue for wireless service providers.